Arkham Asylum. A living breathing hell on earth. Don’t let the PR campaign and the smiling chairman of the board fool you, because deep down even they realize what they’re truly running. And once you’re in, there is no going back. That goes for cops as well. Every cop sees Arkham one way or another whether it’s Joker attempting to break out or a full scale inmate riot. That is when the cops realize for the first time they’re not in Metropolis anymore. That is when you can truly call yourself Gotham Police Officer.

Of course like every other sane cop I didn’t want to be here just yet. Wanted to be on the force a few more years, be more experienced, more sure of myself. But that’s not the way life works or how Victor works…

He walks through the cells of the sleeping inmates. It’s dungeon like interior strikes him in awe for a moment as if paying his respects to it then proceeds down dark damp hallway to the secure patient ward.

It is filled with police officers; they have sealed off the area with police tape. There is one chalk lined body in the area accompanied by a large pool of dried up blood. As he walks in everyone stares at him, they know exactly who he is and why he’s here. Pegged as an outsider the moment he enters he walks the seemingly eternal distance to the former patient cell of ex inmate Victor Zsasz. He tries to shrug it off as he walks in but even when he enters into the crime scene two men make his demons even more obvious. James Gordon and Harvey Bullock.

“I’m sorry to call you in like that Officer… Justin. But under these circumstances I hope you understand .” says Gordon, while lighting one of his tobacco pipes allowing his vice to relive him for a moment. “Yeah. Monsters like him are always a top priority I got it. But what does this have to do with me? I haven’t spoken to Victor since I was a kid.”

“Actually kid this has everything to do with you…” Justin turns his attention to bullock not appreciating the intentional vagueness of his response. “Justin this is Harvey Bullock. He’s leading the one in charge of the investigation.” Justin crack wry smile at bullock reminded of something he’s known. “Yeah I’ve heard of you. A few of my training officers mentioned you a couple times.” Bullock smiles back already knowing where this is going. “Really? What did they have to say?”

“Honestly. They told me you were the one cop not to fuck with.” Bullock cracks a dry laugh he’s not at all surprised to hear that while Gordon puts away his pipe, ready to get to the point. “Funny. I’ve heard the same thing about you. Haven’t we Gordon?” Gordon opens up a small folder from the table next to him while Justin readies himself for what he knew was coming. “Justin Zsasz, former member of a small now extinct crime family. You ran drugs for them and was their muscle whenever needed is that correct?”

Gordon flips through the file and stop near the end of it. “During your tenure with the family you accumulated 3 counts of extortion, two counts of assault and battery and several counts of drug trafficking. That’s what the DA could make stick. Who knows what else they made you do…” Justin lowers his head for a moment taking in what Gordon has said like someone living through a bad dream. “Look commissioner with all due respect. I don’t see the point in reading out my past screw ups. So could you please get to the point?”

“What Gordon is trying to say is that there came a point where you got caught. Happens to the best of em. You served your time in blackgate and got an early release. Normally this is the part where the cycle repeats, you go back to your old ways and wind up right back where you started. But that didn’t happen… You did the craziest thing of all and became a cop in Gotham city.” “Are you judging my sanity now too?”

“No, Justin you have more than proved yourself to be a good cop, a commendable feat given your past record. Sadly that is also why you are here today…” “Last night a new doctor was assigned to Victor Zsasz for a session, she lost her temper and told him just how much better of a person you’ve turned yourself into.” Says bullock as he gives Justin a few photos. The first is of the doctor with several holes punctured deep into her neck. He flips though and sees similar injuries inflicted to the guards. “Safe to say, he didn’t take the news so well…”

“How’d he even get out? Aren’t the rooms locked from the outside?” Gordon sighs for a moment acknowledging this without having to say a word. “Correct and he would have been sealed off in here if his fourth victim, another Arkham guard on the outside hadn’t tried being a hero and face him on his own… let’s just say he got the worst of the four. After that he just vanished…” “So you’re telling me I’m his next target?”

“Possibly, all we know for sure is that you’re change of heart set him off. The rest is never certain with him… But that’s why as a precaution I am putting you on this case with Detective Bullock.”

“Think of this as an early promotion kid. What do ya say? Chimes in Bullock as Justin spends a minute pondering, he looks both of them dead in the eyes the jokes end here. “Where do we start?”

“89…” Says Victor with delight as he digs the pen into his arm. Driving it downwards to make the fourth tally of a row. Each row is separate and yet interconnected to each other. “And 90…” He digs the slash deeper than the other newly formed marks. Blood pours out of his arm like a tiny faucet gently coating his surrounding skin in red. He wraps it in gauze before putting on a fresh shirt and pants from one of his victims. “Ahhhh. Much better, four less zombies in the cesspool of a city. I have to thank you Justin for my best work yet... But don’t you worry I have something special planned for you. Something even you might appreciate.

He reaches into his new pants and pulls out his victim’s cell phone and dials a number. “911 dispatch what is your emergency?” Victor completely changes his expression like changing a mask, he is horrified and scared. “Oh god help me! I got mugged! He stabbed me… I told him to stop but he wouldn’t!” says Zsasz with his fake horror like a professional. “It’ll be alright sir. Where are you right now?” says the dispatcher completely unaware of who she’s talking to.

“I’m in the Narrrows! 5 street I think… please help me…” he hangs up the phones and smiles. “Did you miss me Gotham? Cause I sure missed you…”

To Be Continued…

ok i did not expect to get this one out so fast but with finals and everything i needed a break! Hope you guys enjoyed it i promise i will still get another part out to you guys later in the week!